1). Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a kit for recording or transmitting information of a note in freehand.
2). Discussion of Related Art
Entering data in personal computers is accomplished in many ways including a keyboard, downloading from a network, insertion of a floppy disk or CD-ROM or a pointing device, or mouse.
Another way of entering data, usually by artists, is a graphics tablet, a flat board with a working surface on which a user draws with a special purpose pen-like stylus to create special effects on the computer screen.
When a keyboard is used to enter data into a computer, a program or application software must be present and active to receive the data, act on the data or merely accept the data. If one wants to enter simple data of the kind one normally writes on a desk pad, keyboard entry is not practical. Moreover, most persons prefer to write short notes rather than entering them into a computer via a keyboard or a special purpose stylus on the plastic surface of a graphics tablet. That is why one finds a pen and paper on practically every desk.
A popular means of writing notes is the use of a pen and sticky notes, called Post-it(trademark) notes, which can be found on most desks at home and the office. Information on these notes is of interest to the user for a variety of home and office purposes such a telephone numbers, appointments or specific instructions to others or to oneself to take some sort of action. Most persons feel very comfortable writing something down on a piece of paper, particularly when recording a quick thought, while speaking on the telephone or to another person nearby or recording small bits of information.
In today""s computer-dependent society, however, that same person will very probably wish to enter the information into his/her computer for a variety of critical purposes. Among these is to save the information for later recall; sending the information to another person in the office or in another city; verifying, or attaching, a signature; or sending a sketch or doodle.
Combining the ubiquitous sticky notes with modern electronics and the Internet would be a very useful way of solving the problems of saving and sending information, in a very friendly, practical and inexpensive manner.
The invention provides a kit for recording a note in freehand. The kit includes a plurality of notesheets and a unit for relaying information of a note in freehand created in one of the notesheets. The unit includes a pad having a surface on which a notesheet of the plurality of notesheets can be positioned. The pad includes a housing, and secured to the housing, a positioned sensor, a signal converter, and a transmitter. The position sensor detects the position of a writing tip of a writing instrument when the notesheet is located on the surface and the writing instrument is used to create a note in freehand on the notesheet, and provides information of the note in freehand. The signal converter receives the information of the note in freehand from the position sensor and converts the information to a signal of information of the note in freehand. The transmitter receives the signal from the signal converter and transmits the signal wirelessly to a remote location.
At least some of the notesheets may each include a writing sheet and ink printed on the writing sheet. The ink may be laid out so that a plurality of command areas are defined thereby.
The ink may be laid out to define a command function at each command area. Each command function may indicate a different function to be performed by a computer at a remote location.
At least one of the command functions may indicate that the computer should perform one function which may be storing an electronic representation of the note in freehand in an electronic address book, storing an electronic representation of the note in freehand in an electronic calendar, storing an electronic representation of the note in freehand in an electronic xe2x80x9cTo-Doxe2x80x9d database, or sending an electronic representation of the note in freehand via a network to another computer.
The pad may define a selected area where the notesheet should be located and each sheet may be dimensioned substantially corresponding to dimensions of the selected area.
The housing may define a receptacle having internal dimensions which allow for holding a stack of the notesheets. The housing may define an opening through which notesheets can be removed from the stack.
Each notesheet may include a writing sheet and a sticky material on the writing sheet, the notesheet being attached to a following notesheet by the sticky material, the notesheet may be removable from the following notesheet, whereafter the sticky material is still located on the writing sheet thereof and can be used for attaching the notesheet to the surface.
The position sensor may be a graphics tablet with an upper surface of the graphics tablet defining at least part of the surface of the pad.
The signal is preferably transmitted while the note in freehand is being created.
The information may include coordinates of each of a plurality of points of the note in freehand. The information may include an amount of pressure applied at each point. The information may include the time of creation of each point.
The kit may further comprise a computer readable medium having a program stored thereon which, when installed on a computer, includes logic which communicates with a receiver which receives the transmitted signal so as to receive the information in the computer, and provides an output of the information.
The information may include coordinates of the note in freehand, the logic utilizing the coordinates to create and display a curve which substantially corresponds to at least one element of the note in freehand.
The output of the information may include a plurality of notes that are arranged chronologically.
The logic preferably detects when a line is drawn on the notesheet and creates a new note in response thereto.
The logic may measure the time taken from creation of one element to a next element of the note in freehand and, if the time is less than a predetermined value, may include the elements in a single note.
The logic may determine the position or suite of an element of the note in freehand and, depending on the position or suite, control the computer by performing a function such as storing an electronic representation of the note in freehand in an electronic address book, storing an electronic representation of the note in freehand in an electronic calendar, storing an electronic representation of the note in freehand in an electronic xe2x80x9cTo-Doxe2x80x9d database, or sending an electronic representation of the note in freehand via a network to another computer.
The logic may send a packet over a network, the recipient of the packet depending on what the element looks like, and the packet including at least some of the information of the note in freehand.
The packet may include code which creates a note on the computer of the recipient, the note including a graphic that looks substantially the same as at least one element of the note in freehand.
The packet may include information such as what the note in freehand looks like, a time varying position of the writing instrument, a time varying amount of speed of creation of the note in freehand, or a time varying amount of pressure when creating the note in freehand. The note may also be enhanced with sound or other visual effects which may be preselected by a user creating the note in freehand.
The invention also provides a unit for relaying information of what a note in freehand created on a notesheet looks like. The unit includes a pad having a surface on which a notesheet can be located. The pad includes a housing, and, secured to the housing, a position sensor, a signal converter, and a transmitter. The position sensor detects the position of a writing tip of a writing instrument when the notesheet is located on the selected area and the writing instrument is used to create a note in freehand on the notesheet, and provides information of the note in freehand. The signal converter receives the information of the note in freehand from the position sensor and converts the information to a signal of information of what the note in freehand looks like. The transmitter receives the signal of what the note in freehand looks like from the signal converter and transmits the signal wirelessly to a remote location.
The invention also provides a unit for relaying information of what a note in freehand created on a notesheet looks like. The unit includes a pad having a surface on which a notesheet can be located. The pad includes a housing, and, secured to the housing, a position sensor, a signal converter, and a transmitter. Position sensor is capable of detecting the position of a writing tip of a pencil when the notesheet is located on the selected area and the pencil is used to create a note in freehand on the notesheet, and provides information of the note in freehand. The signal converter receives the information of the note in freehand from the position sensor and converts the information to a signal of information of what the note in freehand looks like. The transmitter receives the signal of what the note in freehand looks like from the signal converter and transmits the signal to a remote location.